Close Your Eyes and Count to Ten
by aca-bealeve-it
Summary: Sequel to "I Swear This Time I Mean It." Things never seem to be easy in life, and rarely is there an exception to that rule. Nearly six years after being reunited and thrown together as roommates in DC, Beca and Chloe are living happily together in LA when they discover that life isn't done throwing a few curves their way.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: The long awaited sequel has arrived! I apologize for its delay; I had a hard time figuring out where I wanted to go with this sequel and there were points where I wasn't completely sure whether I could write this or not since I had next to zero free time between work and applying to law school. However, I'm just about done with my applications and I've had the itch to write for a while; add that to sorting out my issues with figuring out timing for this and it was a no brainer that this was going to be the next bit of writing I was going to release. A huge thank-you to everyone that read and enjoyed "I Swear This Time I Mean It," your feedback on that story gave me the push I needed to get this sequel started. Anyway, we're jumping ahead five years time from where the epilogue left off, making the girls 27-28 for a point of reference. Also, I am working on the next chapter for "Lasting Impression" and hopefully that will be updated relatively soon (for anyone that happens to be following that as well). Lastly, the title is from a song by Grouplove, but I don't think the lyrics of the song in any way are going to give anything away; I really just liked the title :) anyway, here is the first chapter, I hope you enjoy it!**

**P.S. I own nothing.**

There weren't many things that scared Beca Mitchell, much less to the point of making her dread and avoid particular situations at absolutely all costs. She had never been afraid of the dark as a child, nor did she fear spiders or any other type of insects, reptiles, amphibians… you name it. Small spaces weren't an issue (it was mostly the issue of people staying out of her own personal space and even then _that_ couldn't really be considered a fear, more so something that annoyed her a great deal if anything else), and while she hadn't always been a fan of needles (was anyone really?), Chloe's constant usage of Beca's appendages and veins throughout the redhead's years of medical school resolved this whether she had liked it or not. There was one thing that, no matter her efforts to make it anything other than what it currently was, she always found completely unsettling; airplanes.

"Just close your eyes and count to ten, babe" Chloe said soothingly into Beca's ear, running one of her hands up and down Beca's arm in order to calm the brunette down, knowing that this was not an easy thing for her girlfriend to do.

Beca's fingernails dug into her armrest despite her girlfriend's best efforts to quell her nerves and take her mind off of the current circumstance. She obliged to Chloe's instructions, her eyelids fluttering shut as she inhaled deeply, slowly counting from one to ten in her head. Upon opening her eyes again, she was greeted with the sight of Chloe looking expectantly next to her, waiting for her report.

"You look pained to admit that you feel way better because you listened to me" Chloe pointed out, smiling at her brunette.

Beca smirked back at the redhead. "I suppose this is the part where you tell me that what I just did has something to do with countering my sympathetic nervous system and whatever other medical mumbo-jumbo you feel like throwing out there, and that's why I feel better than I did a minute ago."

"One, I'm glad you listen to the things I say to you because that was spot on" Chloe began, giving Beca a light peck on the cheek, "And two, it's what my mom had me do when I was younger whenever I got worked up over something, and you looked like your heart was about to beat out of your chest so I saved you the trouble from having to deal with that. So you're welcome, really." Chloe then proceeded to stick her tongue out at her girlfriend, who merely rolled her eyes in response. The two girls then turned their attention to the flight attendant standing in front of the plane, who proceeded to begin the routine safety briefing before take-off.

"It did make me feel a lot better" Beca admitted a few minutes after the stewardess had stopped talking.

"Obviously" Chloe replied, "One of the lesser known perks of dating a doctor."

"Does this mean you get to examine me in the bathroom later?" Beca suggested, earning a playful slap on the arm from the redhead.

"Little ears are surrounding us!" Chloe hissed, gesturing to the various families sitting across and behind them. "Also, do you have any idea how many germs are in those bathrooms, even after they're cleaned from the flight before?"

"If you're trying to make me regret suggesting what I did, you're doing a fantastic job of it, Beale" Beca said flatly.

"Mission accomplished" Chloe grinned, holding Beca's hand in her own as the plane began to make its way down the runway. From the corner of her eye, she could see her girlfriend bracing herself as she sat next to her, inhaling deeply in order to calm herself down.

"Remind me again why you couldn't write a prescription for me for a sleeping pill?" Beca said through gritted teeth, gripping Chloe's hand tightly as the plane began to gain speed.

"I can't just go out giving prescriptions to people the same way Oprah gives away cars" Chloe explained as a matter-of-factly to Beca, as they had had this conversation a number of times in the previous weeks. "Plus I'd have to keep a chart on you if I began writing things for you."

"And here I thought there wasn't any more uncharted territory in this relationship."

"You're getting a pass this time on account of you being scared out of your mind that the plane is going to go down" Chloe said, frowning at a pleased Beca.

Beca's face turned serious at once. "Has anyone ever told you that you say the most encouraging things?"

"Loads actually," Chloe replied as they felt the plane leave the ground, surging steadily into the air. She took something out of her pocket, handing it to Beca. "One of these should do the trick for you."

Beca surveyed the small pink pills enclosed inside the blister packaging. "Did you get these off the street?" she whispered.

Chloe looked incredulously at her girlfriend, turning the packaging over to reveal the label and product information for each individual pill. "It's an antihistamine!"

"Yeah, I probably could have deduced that myself" Beca said quietly, looking down at her hands in feigned embarrassment.

"You're stressed out, it's okay" Chloe said sympathetically, "But seriously, it should knock you out pretty well; once you're asleep this plane ride will be over before you know it."

* * *

Five or so hours later, Beca and Chloe found themselves once again in a place very familiar to them both. Simply put, it was the place they had begun to fall in love with one another on more than one occasion. It was the place they had visited as teenagers that held special meaning to them as 'us' instead of 'me and you', only years later to be reunited with one another in some strike of fate in this same place after years of radio silence between them. It was the place they had overcome years of misunderstandings in order to be together again and make it work the second time around. It was the place they had spent half their time for a number of years, beginning when Chloe had attended medical school in Baltimore, to when Chloe had briefly been living with Aubrey while Beca began to make her career aspirations a reality and had moved to Los Angeles after accepting a job at an up and coming record label. This place was Washington DC, and Beca and Chloe knew their lives would always be somehow entwined with the nation's capital, no matter any hypothetical efforts to avoid just that. Not that this was the case, of course, as it would have proved difficult to not attend the engagement party for two of their best friends.

Chloe bolted into a run the moment they had walked past the security checkpoints, seeing the familiar face of her best friend standing at the end of the arrival area of the airport, almost knocking the blonde over upon impact as she pulled her into a tight hug. By the time they had detached from one another, a groggy Beca had finally caught up to the reunited pair.

"I see you survived the plane, Beca" Aubrey said lightly after pulling the brunette into a hug.

"I think I'm going to be taking a train back to LA" Beca grimaced, causing Chloe to roll her eyes at the absurdity.

"You were out like a light, you didn't even wake up from all the turbulence we had at one point" the redhead retorted.

"The fact that we experienced turbulence is reason enough for me not to get on the return flight at the end of this weekend."

Aubrey snorted, "Okay, you two sound more like a married couple than Jesse and I do, it's kind of sickening actually."

Chloe chuckled as they began to walk toward the baggage claim, "Says one half of the engaged couple that just bought a house together."

"We have a lot of work to do still" Aubrey replied, sighing. "Jesse's actually rearranging the guest bedroom you'll be staying in this weekend; he would have been here had he done this when I originally asked him to."

"Men" Beca mused while waiting for their checked luggage to arrive. Minutes later and bags in hand, the three women made their way to the airport parking lot, bags thrown into the trunk and backseat of Aubrey's car before they left for the newly bought home.


	2. Chapter 2

"Do you miss living in the District?" Beca asked Aubrey from the backseat of the blonde's vehicle as the three women pulled into the driveway of Jesse and Aubrey's newly purchased home, located in northern Virginia just outside of DC.

Aubrey shrugged from the driver's seat as she put the car in park, taking her keys out of the vehicle's ignition. "Sometimes, yes. We're renting out a small studio in DC in case I get caught up at work late into the night and don't feel like driving home, and the commute is longer now, but we're happy here." Aubrey, after briefly working for a private law firm, decided the formulation of federal policy was her true calling, and currently worked on the Hill, taking various meeting for the Member of Congress she worked for and aiding in the formulation of various pieces of legislation.

After grabbing their bags from the trunk of the car, Beca and Chloe followed Aubrey as she led them inside the two-story home and up the staircase to guest bedroom where they would be staying for the weekend. As the blonde opened the door immediately to the right of the landing, Chloe could see her best friend's brow furrowing as a sleeping Jesse was revealed to them, sprawled out face-down on the queen-sized bed.

"Jesse" Aubrey said quietly, audibly clearing her throat as Chloe and Beca filled into the room. "Jesse, wake up," she repeated, shaking him slightly by the shoulder with no result. Moments later, a slam of the bedroom door closing bolted him awake, sending Jesse flailing into the air, taking even Aubrey by surprise. Chloe and Aubrey turned around slowly behind them, seeing that Beca was standing in close proximity to the now closed door.

"The wind" Beca offered sheepishly, smirking slightly as Jesse sat up from the bed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, his face lighting up as he saw the three women standing before him.

"Someone had to test out the mattress for them" Jesse said to Aubrey, kissing his fiancé on the cheek before hugging Beca and Chloe.

Aubrey frowned as she placed one of the suitcases on the bed. "We did, Jesse, in our apartment every single night for over a year!"

"You might want to consider better phrasing, Bree" Chloe pointed out quietly as Beca suppressed a laugh.

"I am not sleeping in a bed you two had sex in" Beca said definitively, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Well I had to use a shower you two repeatedly had sex in, we all have our crosses to bear, Beca!" Aubrey snapped back, raising three pairs of eyebrows in the room as she took a deep breath to calm herself.

"That escalated rather quickly" Jesse said, moments after silence had fallen over the room. "Who wants a drink?"

"It's ten o'clock in the morning, Jesse."

"Clearly I meant to say breakfast then" Jesse corrected himself, "When were you going to get the wine?" he asked Aubrey.

"Not until this afternoon, I have a ton of cleaning to get done around the house" Aubrey replied as the four moved out of the guest room and downstairs into the kitchen.

"The house looks spotless, babe."

"And you have to give your very best friends a tour of the house" Chloe pointed out as they stood around the kitchen island.

"Yeah, why didn't we get a tour of the house yet, Posen" Beca added in mock offense, popping a grape in her mouth from the bowl resting on the counter, "You're not being a very good host, we should have just stayed in a hotel this weekend."

Aubrey breathed in deeply as she stared the brunette down who was trying her best not to laugh over the entire ordeal. "Have I said how much I've missed the two of you?"

* * *

That evening, family and close friends of the bride and groom to-be gathered together in the couple's home for the official celebration of their engagement that had occurred months ago. The night was running smoothly, as friends were reunited and new friendships formed among the guests of the party.

"Do you have any idea what Beca is going to say?" Aubrey asked Chloe as handed her a glass of champagne, the two standing together in the backyard, watching conversations form and guests mingle with one another underneath the hundreds of hanging lights adorned along the porch and trees.

"Nope" Chloe said simply, downing the gin and tonic in her other hand, placing it on an empty table. The two women along with the rest of the party guests turned their attention moments later to the sound of metal clinking against glass, finding Beca standing at the top of the back porch, ready to begin her toast to the couple.

"The saying goes if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all" Beca began as soon as the remaining chatter in the backyard had died down, "So this will clearly be a very short speech since I should be using this time to talk about Jesse."

Chloe looked down at her feet, shaking her head to herself as the rest of the party guests broke into polite laughter. She saw Beca turn to look at Jesse, smiling fondly at her best friend before she continued on.

"I was lucky enough to witness the beginning of Jesse and Aubrey's relationship when we all interned together in college, and I have to say there's something special about Washington DC that just brings people together" Beca paused, turning her attention to Chloe for a moment as she smiled at her girlfriend. "Whether it's because DC just attracts those that have a love for the analysis of politics and the electoral college or because fate wanted these two-who lived across the country from one another before finding their way here if I may add-well, I'd like to think it's the latter."

"I wish you all the happiness in the world, and I couldn't think of anyone more perfect for one another than these two" Beca gestured to Jesse on her left and Aubrey further to her right as she raised her glass up. "To Aubrey and Jesse!"

"That was beautiful" Aubrey whispered to Beca as she pulled the brunette into a hug after the speech, Jesse clasping his hand on her back as she stood next to him as Chloe made her way to the place where Beca stood moments ago.

"At this point, Aubrey and I have been in each other's lives more than we haven't; I knew from the day I jumped in front of her and assaulted our letter opener-wielding English teacher that we would be best friends… but I didn't expect us to be sisters." Chloe paused to turn to Aubrey, a tear silently falling down her cheek as she laughed at the memory. "We always said whoever the other married would essentially be getting a two-for-one deal out of the entire thing, and I guess all I can say is that I'm sure Jesse is relieved that we live numerous time zones away from each other" Chloe added, the guests laughing as Jesse nodded in agreement for good measure.

"Anyway, I couldn't be happier for these two than I already am, and I'm sure we are all looking forward to the wedding festivities that are ahead of us. I'm also very aware of the fact that I'm the only thing separating everyone from the delicious desserts inside the house, so if you'll raise your glasses one more time, to Aubrey and Jesse!" Chloe raised her glass as the rest of the guest toasted once again to the couple, who embraced one another before directing the guests into the house for the next portion of the night.

"Who knew my girlfriend had a way with words" Chloe murmured into Beca's ear as she slid her arms low around the brunette's waist as they remained standing outside while the other guests filed into the house.

"If I remember correctly, I'm pretty sure my way with words is the reason we're together" Beca replied with a smirk, tucking a loose strand of Chloe's hair behind her ear.

"Well clearly it's not because of your looks."

"Obviously" Beca agreed dryly, grinning as her hands went around Chloe's neck as she pulled her into a deep kiss. After breaking apart moments later, they noticed Jesse and Aubrey looking over at them meters away.

"I was going to steal you away so one of my college buddies could talk to you about the new label you're working for, but I think I'm just going to throw up in the bathroom instead" Jesse began, hands in his pockets as he feigned reentry into the house.

Beca rolled her eyes at Jesse's antics, untangling herself from her girlfriend as the two went into the house together. Aubrey walked towards Chloe, arms folded across her chest as she approached her best friend.

"Have you told her yet?"

Chloe shook her head, sitting down on one of the empty chairs. "I didn't think I'd actually get the fellowship; there had to be dozens of applicants."

"Hundreds, actually" Aubrey corrected, sitting across from the redhead. Almost a year ago, the federal government had passed increased funding for public health research; Chloe having background in the subject, had submitted an application for these newly created fellowships based on the work she had done for her master's thesis. While Beca had been aware that this was done and unwaveringly supported anything Chloe would do, Chloe had not yet revealed the news that her research was selected to receive such funding… or the reminder that the acceptance of it would involve Chloe splitting her time between Atlanta and DC throughout the course of the program.

"I could turn it down" Chloe mused, looking at her best friend as she tried to decipher the blonde's expression.

"Chloe Alexandra Beale" Aubrey began, "You are taking this fellowship. I've never seen you more passionate on something you were working on than when you were working on that thesis a few years back. You and Beca have the long distance thing down pat; if anyone can do it, it's you two."

Chloe nodded, knowing that Aubrey was right. "I'll talk to her about it tomorrow" the redhead promised, getting up from her chair. "Right now I'm dying to try that brownie cheesecake."

Aubrey smiled, also getting out of her seat as she linked her arm with Chloe's, the two walking inside the house together. After getting their selection of desserts, the two women found their significant others engaged in conversation with a friend of Jesse's.

"… Aubrey wanted Beca to be one of her bridesmaids, but I wouldn't have it. Eventually we had to rock, paper, scissor her-"

"Is that a euphemism?" Chloe asked playfully, causing Jesse to blush as she cut into the conversation.

Jesse laughed at the redhead's remark, "I didn't want to be the one to break it to you, Beale but…"

"What Jesse meant to say is Beca is very dear to the both of us" Aubrey interjected, even surprising herself by what had come out of her mouth. Even Beca couldn't deny it; years of being the other's roommate had led to becoming closer friends despite their differences.

"You okay?" Beca asked Chloe, noticing that the redhead was biting her lower lip, something she often did when she was preoccupied.

Chloe looked down at her girlfriend, snapping out of her own thoughts. "Couldn't be better" she assured her with a smile.

**A/N: Just a really quick note- for those of you following that are on tumblr, yes I am still posting my fic updates there, but I'm not quite sure why they may not be showing up in the tags. I know that I can see my posts in the tags when I'm on my computer, but not when I'm on my phone. Anyway, I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far, everyone's support of this story means a lot to me and I appreciate it immensely. Until next time!**


	3. Chapter 3

The following day, Beca and Chloe spent the day with Jesse and Aubrey around the district, roaming around the city where they had made countless memories over the years. Despite the fact this was the place they once called home on a number of occasions, never was their to-do list fully complete; there was always another memorial to visit, another activity to complete, another restaurant to try. On this day in particular, the group of four had found themselves at the Jefferson Memorial just as the sun had begun to set, the hues of pink and orange shimmering along the surface of the Potomac.

"Can we just stay here?" Beca asked Chloe softly, resting her head on her girlfriend's shoulder as they sat next to one another along the steps of the Memorial. "You know, just shirk any and all responsibilities or obligations."

"Absolutely" Chloe humored her girlfriend as she took in their surroundings, seeing Aubrey and Jesse walking along the edge of the water from the corner of her eye. "Who needs income or an apartment or a stable job honestly?"

Beca budged her knee against Chloe's, rolling her eyes at the comment. "You know what I mean though, right? I mean, don't get me wrong, I love LA… there's just something about it here I guess." Beca took one of her hands in Chloe's, grasping it tightly.

Chloe smiled as she looked down at their entwined hands, it soon disappearing as she was reminded of what she had been neglecting to reveal to Beca for the past few days. "You might be here more than you think, actually." Chloe's eyes met Beca's slightly furrowed brow and confused expression, waiting for her to continue. "Do you remember that fellowship I applied for a while back? Well, I got it." She smiled hesitantly, unsure of how Beca would react to the news.

Beca's face remained void of reaction as she let Chloe's words absorb into her brain, remaining silent for many moments as she processed the information. Before she could begin to fully think about what this may mean for them, she found herself breaking into a wide grin, pulling her girlfriend closer to her as she pulled her into a congratulatory hug.

"Babe! That's amazing!" She kissed Chloe quickly on the lips, unable to wipe the grin off of her face over her girlfriend's news. "When did you find out?"

Chloe unwrapped herself from Beca's embrace to face her once again, pausing before she responded. "Officially, on Tuesday; unofficially…."

"Let me guess, "Beca replied, "Aubrey knows someone, who knows someone, who is the personal secretary to the director of grants and funding for the public health universe of America?"

"Spot on" Chloe replied with a smirk as Beca laughed. "More or less anyway at least. I didn't want to tell you until I knew it was a sure thing, and then once I had formally received the offer I started freaking out over what it's going to mean for us since it means we'll be living across the country from each other again."

"Beale, it's a no-brainer" Beca assured her, resting one of her hands on Chloe's knee. "Our schedules are hardly compatible now as it is with your hospital schedule and the hours I'm putting in at the studio, and it'll be what, a year at most we'll be living apart from each other? You could have had your pick at any research hospital or university after you got your degrees and you decided to take a job in LA to be near me… not that I'm complaining about that at all…not doing this isn't an option, I won't have it."

"Believe me, I want this," Chloe promised, "I'm just getting hung up on long distance thing."

"I never said that was ideal" Beca smirked, earning a light laugh from Chloe, "But everything's going to work out, and the time is going to fly by, you'll hardly notice how much you're going to miss me."

"So modest" Chloe said dryly, "So you're sure you're okay with this?"

"Chlo, I would support any decision of yours, without a doubt" Beca's voice dropped, her tone serious. "You know, aside from deciding to become a serial killer or something. There are limits, you know."

"Good to know" Chloe said softly, burying her face in the crook of Beca's neck. "I love you" she murmured, the words vibrating softly against Beca's collarbone.

Beca looked down at the mane of red hair falling across her shoulder and chest. "I love you too" she whispered as she wrapped her arms around Chloe, trying her best to focus on this exact moment and not the multitude of other things desperate for her attention.

* * *

"You do want her to go, right?" Jesse closed the lid of the grill shut as he turned to face a reclining Beca meters away in the middle of his backyard the following evening.

Beca moved her sunglasses to the top of her head in order to properly give Jesse her best 'Are you serious right now?' face. "Yes, of course I want her to go! If I didn't I'm pretty sure I'd be in contention for the Worst-period-Girlfriend-period-Ever-period." Beca placed her shades over her eyes once again, sighing heavily.

Jesse sat at the foot of Beca's lounge chair as he turned towards her. "So you're only supporting this move so you _don't_ get such an honor?" Jesse asked, eyebrow raised as he awaited Beca's response. Beca, in turn, kicked one of her feet into Jesse's back as his signature goofy grin spread across his face.

"It's an amazing opportunity for her, dude. I would never in a million years want to be the one standing in the way of great things for her" Beca replied, her head hitting the back of the chair as she reclined further.

"It always starts out like that, doesn't it?"

Beca's eyebrows furrowed from behind her sunglasses as she looked toward Jesse. "I'm not sure I'm following."

Jesse stood up from where he was sitting, walking over to the grill to check on the cooking chicken breasts, turning them carefully as he delved into explanation. "It's just a year now, but what happens when Chloe gets more offers to do more incredible things, and you're rising in the music industry becoming the next David Guetta?"

"Dude, I'm going to punch you in the face if you're suggesting what I think you're suggesting" Beca said warningly, bringing her knees up to her chest. "This isn't going to ruin what Chloe and I have."

Jesse smirked as he turned his back to the grill, facing Beca. "You know I'd never wish anything bad on your relationship; you and Chloe are my otp of all otp's."

"Okay fanboy" Beca replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes as she took a sip of her drink beside her. "Then what did you mean?"

"Long distance is hard, Beca. Sure, both of our relationships have survived its perils many times over, but for how long can this good luck streak last?"

"You and I both know it's not just luck, Jesse" Beca pointed out.

Jesse nodded in agreement, mentally adjusting the point he was trying to make before responding. "No, but it can help. Just make sure you both talk this through completely so you're on the same page at all times with this. I don't think I have to remind you this is coming from the guy who nearly got dumped by his now fiancé after he didn't tell her his intentions to get his advanced degree and spend another full year hundreds of miles away from her."

"Don't be Jesse Swanson, duly noted" Beca said sarcastically. "Not that being you has ever been at the top of my bucket list" Beca added before feeling a pair of arms wrap around her from behind the chair.

"What's at the top of what list?" Chloe asked playfully, her chin resting on Beca's shoulder as she planted a kiss along the brunette's jaw.

"That a high speed railway needs to be made between LA and Atlanta within the next month so I don't have to endure the horror of flight on a consistent basis" Beca covered, quickly changing the subject.

Chloe laughed lightly, "Why stop there? Apparition would be so much faster."

"I'm trying to be somewhat realistic here, Beale" Beca smirked, groaning as she felt Chloe's grasp loosen from around her as the redhead walked a few steps over, standing behind Beca and Jesse.

"Well, you two should find some completely realistic way to get to the kitchen soon; Aubrey and I are just about set with the rest of dinner."

"Yeah, these are just about done, we'll be there in a few" Jesse replied, examining the cooked chicken as he lifted the grill lid up. Chloe nodded before walking back into the house, the screen door sliding shut behind her.

"What is that look for?" Beca asked Jesse, standing up from her chair as she stood beside him, arms folded across her shoulders.

"High speed railway?" Jesse questioned, a smirk on his face. "That came out of nowhere."

"That is legitimately a thing that I want" Beca said defensively, "I'm totally going to start a letter writing campaign to my local representatives."

Jesse rolled his eyes before turning his attention to the grill as he placed the cooked meat on the nearby plate brought from the kitchen. "Okay, weirdo." Beca followed Jesse back into the house for the final dinner the group of friends would have together before Beca and Chloe were to return home to Los Angeles.

Beca was sad to see this weekend come to an end, not only because she and Chloe would have to say goodbye to two of their best friends, but also because returning to their day to day lives would somehow make it more real that she and Chloe would have hundreds of miles between them in the near future, something she couldn't get out of her mind since she had been told the news some twenty-four hours ago. She could see it now; Chloe putting in long hours in a lab with students fighting to be a part of her research team in Atlanta, while Beca would be returning from the studio to an empty apartment adorned with reminders of Chloe throughout its walls. Having time zones separating them was no stranger to either of them; they had spent nearly a year apart as Chloe was finishing her final year of school in Baltimore while Beca took a risk and took a job at a newly opened recording studio, where she now worked as an assistant producer with a number of clients under her belt. This dance had also been done years before that, after both girls had left DC and returned to their then respective home states to complete their final semesters of undergraduate.

Hours later, after they had arrived in LA and Beca had practically carried an exhausted Chloe and their luggage up to their apartment, and after Beca had laid Chloe carefully down on their bed, sweeping the covers over her, Beca found herself walking into the spare bedroom-turned home studio, practically collapsing into her desk chair. Before she was even completely aware of what she was doing, Beca found herself going into the bottom desk drawer, amidst the piles of paperwork and sheet music, ruffling to its bottom until her fingers came across the small, black box that was incredibly familiar to her. She brought the box up to eye level, studying it closely yet deciding not to look at the very ring she had bought weeks ago, the ring that would solidify her future with Chloe (as if it had needed more solidification, honestly). Sighing, she placed the box back in its hiding space, locking the drawer shut before walking across the hall into her and Chloe's bedroom. She had been trying to determine the best timing to ask Chloe the question that had been on her mind well before she had even bought the ring, and found herself smirking as she climbed into bed beside Chloe, thinking that now she would have even more time to figure out the perfect moment to begin the rest of her life.

**A/N: Hello and welcome back! I first want to deeply apologize for lack of update up until now; I never intended to take a hiatus as long as I did, but I guess that's how life goes. I'm going to try to update when I can, which will hopefully be once a week since most of my free time should in theory be going toward studying since I've decided to retake the LSAT and put school off another year. I have a pretty clear idea as to where this story is going now and I'm looking forward to writing upcoming chapters for you all, and hopefully you're enjoying it too! Thank-you to everyone who is invested in this story and following it, it makes my day to see that people are interested in what I am writing for this fandom. Once again, I'm very sorry for kind of dropping the ball and not updating for the past month, I'm pretty sure I'm back on track with this story and I'll be able to update fairly consistently!**


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